Concrete stair block



Apr. 3, 1923.

A. ANDERSON; CONCRETE STAIR BLOCK. FILED SEPT. 15. $921.

OO O

Patented Apr. 3, 1923.

UNITED STATES CONCRETE STAIR BLOCK.

Application filed September 16, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANToN ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Port IVashington, in the county of Ozaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete Stair Blocks; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

This invention pertains to concrete stair blocks to be used in the construction of concrete Stairways and has primarily for its object to simplify and reduce the cost of constructing concrete stairways and at the same time eliminate cracking, resulting from frost and heat, and increase their durability by casting or forming each stair separately and nesting them to form a completed stairway.

With the foregoing and other objects in View my invention consists in what is herein shown and described and more particularly pointed out and defined by the appended claim.

In the drawings Figure l is an elevational view of a stairway embodying the points of the invention and showing certain parts in section to more clearly illustrate the same.

Figure 2 is a section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

At the present time it is customary in constructing concrete stairs to build up forms and pour the entire stairway at approximately the same time. This is expensive in that a great amount of labor and material is required to build up the form or mold and very often these forms cannot be used again, which results in additional expense. Furthermore it is necessary, in order to get the steps to properly set, to pour the entire stairway at one time. A further disadvantage of this rigid or solid construction resides in the fact that the steps often crack as the result of frost and other elements to which they are exposed.

In order to overcome these disadvantages I propose to build up the stairway S of separately formed concrete stair blocks (1) which may be suitably reinforced by the rods 9 as indicated by dotted lines in Figure l to give them the desired strength. The lower portion of the riser 2 is provided with Serial No. 501,070.

a recess 3 which is adapted to abut and overlap the tread portion a of the preceding block. As shown inFigure 2, I prefer in most instances to cut out the center portion of the block 1 to form an arch 5 thus reducing the amount of material to be used without aii'ecting the strength of the block.

In order to support the assembled stairway I propose to employ a pair of longitudinal supports 6 which are adapted to receive and support the sides 7 of the arch blocks and while I have shown the supports 6 in the form of a channel I also intend to provide the sides 7 with a circular groove 7 which will permit the block to be supported by a rod 8 indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2. While this is the preferred method of supporting the stairs it will be obvious that in some instances where the stairs are to be laid on a bank or grade I may eliminate the supports entirely and provide a cinder or other suitable bed upon which the blocks may be laid.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that due to the separately formed stairs, expansion and settling resulting from weather will be compensated for, thereby eliminating cracking and breaking of the blocks. Furthermore this form of block permits the same to be formed or poured in a shop and consequently very little time is required to construct or set up the stairway. This may also be done in weather which would otherwise not permit the pouring of concrete.

I claim A concrete stairway consisting of separately formed stair blocks, each having an arched central portion to provide an opening in its face, downwardly extending sides provided with recesses in their face to receive the adjacent block, and a pair of longitudinai supporting members positioned under the downwardly extending sides and having nesting engagement therewith, whereby said blocks and supports are held against relative lateral movement.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Port Washington, in the county of Ozaukee and State of Wisconsin.

ANTON ANDERSON. 

